Pumpkin Scented Candles
by Tiny Q
Summary: Colin and Ginny decide to play a game to help them get rid of their antisocial tendencies. Ginny thinks Harry’s gay, Draco’s deranged, and the Goblet of Fire smells like pumpkins! What does it all mean? D/G!


Title: Pumpkin Scented Candles

Author: Tiny Q

E-Mail: one_legged_lesbian_seagull@hotmail.com

A/N:  Ok, I had this idea about walking up to random people for a while, but never used it.  But I have been going through old things lately, trying to get everything out that I want to get out.  It's time to slowly move onto other things.  ~nods sadly~  Anyhoo, it took me a while to get the idea sorted out, then even longer to actually write this piece of poop.  It's nothing like I wanted it to be like.  But it does have it's moments I suppose...

Disclaimer:  I own nothing but the lack of a plot.  And just so you know, Lallie came up with the idea of Colin and Neville's little Herbology discussion.  But you will just have to read this to find out what I am talking about.  But I can't remember which one of us came up with the goblet of fire bit... Stupid memory.  Never works when I need it...

**Pumpkin Scented Candles******

~*~

            It all started as a bit of a game.  Well, a "bit" of a game would be a gross understatement.  It was more one of those games that once you start playing it, you get pulled in and everything you think about revolves around this aforementioned game.  And then things begin to change.  Things begin to change in your life.  They change because of this game.  And it wasn't even that intelligent of a game.

            Ginny Weasley and her dear friend Colin Creevey had been in their sixth year when it all happened.  It might have begun the year before if it had not been for the excessive studying for OWLs, so instead it was their sixth year.  The year that was supposedly one of the longest because the routine of school was so over done at that point and nothing ever really happens in your sixth.  Nothing that the school causes to happen anyways.

            Colin had started it.  He really had, though he will tell you otherwise if you ever ask him.  He and Ginny had just been sitting out by the lake underneath a tree that they often sat under, staring out at the lake, talking about various things that came to mind.  They often did this.  They were best friends after all.

            "You know, it's funny," Colin said after a few moments of silence.  Ginny, who was laying on her back, staring at the branches above her, raised her head and looked at the sandy blonde haired boy questioningly.  "You've dated so many guys and yet you still can't start a conversation with someone you don't know."

            "So?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.  "It's not like you're any better, Creevey.  You went from begging Harry to take his picture to running in the other direction when ever you see him.  And I know that you're not a homophobe so that theory won't work."  She paused.  "And it's not like you talk to anyone but me and Dennis."

            "That's not true!" the blonde said angrily.  "I talk to some of the people in my Herbology class."  Ginny raised her eyebrow.  Colin shifted in his seat.  "Ok, so maybe only if they talk to me first."  He shifted some more.  "Which is almost never."

            Ginny grinned slightly.  "See?  You're not Mister Perfect either," Ginny said in her "reasonable" voice.  Or at least that was what Colin thought it was.  Though to most other people it would probably seem like an arrogant voice.  Not unlike Hermione's Know-It-All voice.  But then they didn't know Ginny quite as well as he did.  "And besides, why would I want to talk to people I don't know when I have all the friends I need?"

            Colin fell silent and Ginny sat up and looked at him.  To her the boy was a very curious creature.  Well not so much curious as geeky, because his personality was one of the most far off ones she had ever encountered.  Well, besides Luna Lovegood that is.  But besides her, Colin was quite peculiar which was probably why she enjoyed his company so much.  He was so different from any of the "normal" people she had ever met.  And she liked knowing people that weren't the same as everyone else.  People that didn't conform.  People that were not scared to be their own person.  For in the end it was a sign of a strong individual.

            And the lanky, awkward boy was definitely a strong individual.  And an artist to boot.  He knew what he liked and he knew what he didn't.  And he wasn't afraid to stand up for himself, even though he didn't talk to anyone if he didn't need to. Not that she was much better.  She had no problem sitting quietly in a class when she didn't know anyone.  It was a simple process really.  If they did not want to talk to her, why should she want to talk to them?  And there were plenty of people who did talk to her, mind you.  How else do you think she bagged all those boyfriends over the years?

            "But I've been thinking," Colin said quietly, drawing Ginny's attention back to him.  

            "About what?" she asked, looking at her friend in question.

            "We'll, I think I know a way that can solve our anti-social behavior."

            Ginny raised an eyebrow once more.  "Really?  And how do you suggest we do that?"

            Colin looked up at her then with his green-blue eyes, and there was something in them.  Something that always made Ginny feel a thrill that something was about to happen.  It was the same sort of thrill she got when she was around the twins.  It was a thrill that told her things were going to get interesting.  Get mischievous.  She repressed a grin of anticipation. 

            Perhaps that was why she enjoyed Colin's company so much.  The boy reminded her so much of the twins at times.  The only brothers of hers that did not baby her like the rest of her family had a nasty habit of doing.  That had seen her ability to stand on her own.  Her ability to cause a hell of a lot of trouble if she wanted.  Though she usually did it subtly, unlike the two of them and their bog in the hallway.  A marvelous piece of trouble that was.  

            "Well," Colin began, sitting up a little straighter and starting to look a little more excited.  Apparently he had seen the interest in her eyes.  "You remember the Tri Wizard Tournament?" he asked, and the red head before him nodded.  "Well, I've been thinking of a way that would make us get to know more people.  To be forced to talk to people.  But I couldn't think of a way to figure out who we would have to talk to."  
            "This is rather sad if this is what you have in mind, Colin," Ginny sighed, the interest dimming slightly out of her eyes.  "To just talk to random people?"

            Colin stared at her and resisted the urge to frown.  Sure girl could be easily riled up if you hit the right buttons but she also seemed to get out of interest very quickly.  Especially as of late.  Perhaps that was why he was pushing this. She needed something new to happen in her life.  And so did he.

            "No, not like that," he said, now indeed frowning at her.  "And it would have been like that if I hadn't though of something better."  He paused for what he thought would be dramatic effect.  Ginny just stared at him.  "We create a Goblet of Fire and put a list of all the names of every student in the school."  The spark in Ginny's eyes returned slightly.  "And then whomever's name flew out of there we would be assured that there was a reason that we were to talk to them.  Because that is how those things work."

            "But how will we get one?" she asked, her face beginning to twist into that mischievous way.  It made her look even cuter than she already did. 

            Colin had no doubt as to why the girl was so sought after by the male population of the school.  The girl was drop-dead gorgeous.  She really was.  Slim, curvy figure. Long legs.  Silky long red hair that curled on the ends.  And she had those freckles on her face that just made her stand out so much.  Colin would have asked her out himself, but they had been friends for too long.  He knew far too many things about her that it would be beyond awkward.  Way beyond awkward.  Besides, he liked her better as a friend anyways.

            "You're doubtfulness wounds me, Weasley," he said with a mock wounded voice.  He grabbed his bag that was sitting behind him and pulled a goblet from it.  "I took this from the Great Hall last night," he said proudly, offering her the golden drinking glass.  He always had thought they looked tacky.  "And," he started, reaching into his book once more and pulled out a large book.  "Here is a charm book that tells us how to turn an ordinary goblet into a Goblet of Fire."  Ginny was grinning now.  "Only problem is I am horrid at Charms."

            "I suppose that is where I come in then, is it?" Ginny asked, her grin spreading.  She wasn't top of her Charms class for no reason you know.  It was the one thing that she felt that she was very good at.  Well, Chasing aside of course.  

            Colin nodded, grinning himself now, knowing that he had got her.  He had caught her interest and now his plan would not fail.  It would not fail because Ginny Weasley was on the case.  And Ginny Weasley never let anything die once she set her mind to it.

            You know, I think I was understating how much Colin was involved in the commencement of this little game.  He was the sole creator.  Ginny just helped it to mutate.

~*~

            Ginny made her way up to the Gryffindor Tower alone about two hours later.  This was the routine.  Everyday after classes and dinner at about six o'clock Ginny would go back alone while Colin would go off to the West Wing of the school to work on his photography.  He had his own dark room and everything.  It's amazing what the professors would do for the artists of the school.  Even Dean Thomas had his own studio.  Ginny had enjoyed hanging out in there, and still visited every now and then.  It just had so much fun stuff in it.  But she did not enjoy visiting Colin in his studio.  What the boy took pictures of gave her the creeps on a good day.  The rest of the time, well...

            Her bag was clanking a touch more loudly than before.  There was now an authentic rip of a Goblet of Fire nestled inside of it.  It really had been no problem for her to charm the goblet, but something had gone slightly awry.  There had still been remnants of Colin's pumpkin juice inside of it and now instead of a rich, blue flame, it was orange.  And smelt oddly of pumpkins.  But other than that little mishap, it was perfectly fine.  Now all she had to do was get the list.

            Fred and George had given it to her before she came to school for her fifth year.  They had nicked it from Dumbledore back in their second year.  She still couldn't quite believe that they had given it to her rather than the Dream Team, but it was in her possession now nonetheless.  

            "We are leaving this in your possession," Fred had said, showing her a rolled up, well read parchment.

            "What is it?" Ginny had asked, looking curiously at the parchment and wondering why they would give it to her.

            "A list of everyone in the school," George had explained.

            "A self updating list of everyone in the school," Fred had added.

            "We used to use it for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.  But we don't need it anymore as our establishment has grown beyond those simple walls."  Both twins looked reminiscent and Ginny had smiled.

            "But we're giving it to you now, Gin," Fred had repeated.

            "We know you will find something to do with it that will make us proud," George had elaborated.

            "Something that's interesting."

            "Something devious."

            Yet that year she had not been able to think of anything to do with a list of names.  What really could she do?  But now.  Oh now she had a great use for it.  Thanking the twins and all their psychotic mischief, she skipped up the last few steps to the Portrait Hole, ignoring the odd looks she received from the third years that were just entering.  She slipped in with them and looked around.  Spotting her destination she headed over to her usual spot.

            "Hey Harry," she said happily, settling her rear end into a squishy armchair beside the fire.

            "Hey Ginny," he replied back, looking up from the book in his hands and smiling at her.  She grinned back.

            This was their routine.  When Colin would go off to his studio and Hermione and Ron would go off to snog, the two leftovers would sit together and talk about what ever they really wanted.  And Ginny thought it was absolutely great.  She didn't feel threatened by Harry in any way.  And she certainly didn't blush when he spoke to her.  That certainly wouldn't work.  For one she had gotten over him in her third year when she realized it would never happen.  For another he was gay.

            Well, he had never actually come out and told her this, but she could read the signs.  She could tell by the way he moved his hands so much.  And in the way he walked.  The way he talked.  Actually, it was pretty much everything about him.  That and the fact that he had yet to find any girl, even though they were throwing themselves, and their knickers, at him from all sides.  Not to mention from above and bellow.  She just figured that he felt he would make their relationship awkward if he brought something like that out into the open.  So she just sat there, waiting for him to trust her enough, not telling anyone.  Well, she did tell Colin, but then he wasn't just anyone.

            "What were you reading?" she asked, looking at the book as it did its disappearing act.  

            Harry made a disgusted noise.  "_Potions derived from Sea Based Life Forms_," Harry hissed in a mocking voice that made Ginny giggle.  "You're going to hate potions next year," he said darkly, glaring at the book that was now in his bag.  "Snape gets even worse.  He's like a damn dictator."  He changed his voice again, "Read this and that, but under no circumstances are you to read those.  Write your notes in this format, I will be checking them.  Don't wear your shirt like that, you'll catch on fire and then I will have to put you out.  Wipe your ass from front to back."  

            Ginny burst into another fit of giggles that simply warmed Harry's heart.  He still couldn't quite believe that he had never seen her for what she was before.  A charming young woman who actually found him funny, unlike all the others that were always using those annoyingly fake laughs when he made a joke.  That and she was beautiful.  To say the least, Harry had fallen head over heels for the girl.

            Yet he had yet to say anything.  He just couldn't figure out how.  Whenever he tried it just wouldn't work and he would just sound daft.  So he had given up his earlier attempts and was now biding his time until the right moment arose.  But until then he was quite content to be around her every evening, listen to her ramble on, scrunching her face in that cute way and giggle at what he had to say.  Yes, he could definitely stand this until he could have more.

            "Oh come on, it's not that bad," she cooed at him, still grinning.  "It's your last year.  Then you can become an Auror and torment him for the rest of his life."

            "Sadly it doesn't work that way," Harry said darkly, glaring at her.  "There are rules and regulations about all that."

            "Ooh, Harry's been doing his homework," she said sweetly.  "I'm impressed."

            "You should be," he said simply, trying to look stern, but not quite pulling it off.  He felt he could never be angry at her.  There was nothing she could do to him that would push him over the edge.  Other people could.  Easily.  But not her.

            They lapsed into silence for a bit then his red headed eye candy spoke up: "Harry, do you think I am anti-social?"

            "Where did that come from?" he asked her in relative surprise.  

            "I don't know," she said, looking down at her hands.  "But do you think I am?"

            Harry looked at her.  Well he wouldn't exactly call her a hermit, but she wasn't one of those butterflies either.  She was just sort of there, and would respond if spoken to.  Never would she take the imitative though.  So he supposed that would make her a little...

            "I guess a little, why?" he asked, looking at her.  She seemed to be thinking about something and it made Harry's heart pound.

            "Oh, no reason."

~*~

            Colin waited anxiously for his red headed partner in crime to show up.  She was late.  But then, that didn't surprise him.  She enjoyed being fashionably late.  But sometimes it would bleed right into just plain late.  Or extremely late.  But those occasions were quite rare, by Colin's standards anyway.  

            He was in the Twin's old corner.  He and Ginny had sort of adopted it after they had left.  Well, they had, after all, needed a place to plot.  And it was a rather nice place to do it too.  It had a loose floorboard behind one of the chairs that they could stash their really good plots and stuff in.  He glanced around and glared at all the people that weren't looking at him.  They never did.

            "Hey," Ginny's voice suddenly crossed through Colin's ears.  She was using a happier voice than usual.  Ginny wasn't a morning person and yet here she was, looking as though she had been up for several hours.  Colin felt slightly unnerved.  

            "Did you bring it?" he asked, looking up from his seat on the floor.

            "No," she sneered, sitting down next to him, but pulling out their charmed Goblet of Fire anyway.  Then she pulled out a pile of papers which were all scrawled on with her chicken scratch writing.  She held them out to him.  "I got all the names down.  Now we just need to add them to the Goblet.  I figure since you thought of this whole shindig, you can add them."

            He took the pile, looking through them all.  There were sure a lot of names. Looking about the Common Room once more, he dumped the pile into the goblet Ginny had placed between them.  The orange flame flared, then went out.  He stared at it.

            "Now what do we do?" he asked.

            "Well, since you are going first, just tap it with your wand and say: Attempt one," Ginny explained, gesturing to his wand and the goblet.  "Then it should spit out the name of who you have to talk to.  Then tomorrow I'll do the same."

            "Ok," Colin said with a shrug.  Then glancing around once more, he taped the goblet and a nice little "ding" could be heard.  "Attempt one."  

            They both waited, looking at the goblet that seemed to be suffering from stage fright.  But just as Ginny began to fear that she had done something wrong, the orange flame flared up, bringing with it the scent of pumpkins, and spat out a piece of paper.  Colin caught it in his hand.

            "Neville Longbottom," he read aloud to her.  "So I have to talk to him then?" 

            "Apparently," Ginny said with a smirk.  

            She knew that Colin did not like Neville in the slightest.  If she remember correctly he called him a "daft oaf with no life".  Ginny didn't agree.  Neville was one of the sweetest, most misunderstood people she knew.  And the time she had spent with him while working with the DA only strengthened her beliefs.  Yet she knew the boy fancied her.  Had for a while, him trying to save her had been a big clue.  But she had never brought any of it up.  It would have just been odd.  Way too odd.  Actually, she had been trying to set him up with Luna for a while.  They both had something missing in their lives and she figured that perhaps they could fill each other's voids.  But that was just the romantic in her talking.

            "I want full details."

**Attempt #1**

            Colin looked about.  Yup, that was definitely Neville Longbottom, meandering his way out of his last class: Herbology.  Colin himself was heading away from CoMC and thought for a fleeting instant that he was lucky he wouldn't have to track the older boy down.  Taking a deep breath he trotted up to the older boy he despised so much.  He knew Ginny liked him, but he could never get over the fact that, well, he didn't really know what the fact was.  In the end he just didn't like Neville Longbottom.  

            "Hey Neville," Colin said as cheerfully as he could.  'You can do this,' he assured himself, seeing the bright, smiling face of the boy beside him, turn towards him.

            "Oh, hi Colin," Neville said happily.  But he said no more.  Apparently this wouldn't be quite as easy as Colin had hoped it would be.  'Stupid git' he thought angrily.  They lapsed into silence.

            "So," Colin said slowly, letting out a hiss of breath.  "I hear you like plants.  How's that going for you?"

            Neville Longbottom opened his mouth and out came a stream of speech.  And it didn't stop.  Colin was beginning to get the feeling that he had really made a mistake of choosing to play this stupid game.  He was really, really stupid.

**Two Hours Later**

            "So, how did it go?" Ginny asked happily, looking up from her book as the tall boy she knew as Colin walked dejectedly into the Common Room and plopped down on the sofa beside her.  He stared at her blankly.  "How did it go?" she asked slower this time, looking at him carefully.  He looked a little disturbed.

            The boy opened his mouth.  Then closed it.  Then it opened again.  He looked like a fish really.  A fish who could think of nothing to say.  After his mouth had done this fish thing five more times, he made a disgusted noise and slumped back into the couch.  

            "Well, I'm going to get top marks in Herbology this year," he said in a small depressed voice.

~*~

            "Do you know why Neville's so obsessed with Herbology?" Ginny asked her companion curiously, staring at him from the recesses of her squishy armchair.

            Harry stared at her.  This was the second odd question she had asked him in the last two days.  Not that she never asked odd questions, mind you.  She had once asked him if he thought that Voldemort could ever join a band then get a television show based of his life.  She had been serious too.  So perhaps the two questions as of late weren't quite as odd as that one, but they were still odd.

            "Well," Harry said slowly, looking around.  He didn't like it when people talked about him and he heard, so he didn't want to do the same to the boy in question.  "At first it was because it was the only thing he could do properly."

            "But he's very good at self defense and charms now," Ginny said slowly, frowning at him.  "Ever since you got him started."

            Harry flushed slightly.  "I suppose, but I am guessing that Herbology was the first subject he was good at and he feels the most comfortable with it."  He paused.  "But you should really ask him that, he could tell you better than I could."  She nodded as if in thought.  "Why do you ask, anyways?"  
            "Oh, it just sort of occurred to me today," she said slowly, frowning slightly.  Harry felt his heart leap at her cute face.  "But never mind."

            Harry was beginning to get the feeling that something was up.  That the girl was up to something.  Though as to what it was, he had no idea.  But he would find out.  He would.  And he wouldn't need the help of anyone else to do it.  Because really, what could Ginny Weasley really get herself into?

~*~

            It was Friday.  And Colin found himself sitting in the Twin's corner once more.  Not to his surprise he was waiting for little Miss. I-Like-To-Be-Late.  Heaving out a sigh, he looked about the Common Room.  It was a touch fuller today, but still no one seemed to notice him.  He wondered if he jumped up naked and ran about screaming that he was in love with a pineapple if they would notice him then.  He doubted it.

            "Hey," Ginny's voice greeted his ears as she plopped heavily down next to him.  She seemed less cheerful this morning.  It somehow soothed Colin's dissatisfaction with his housemates.  At least something was right in the world.

            "It's your turn today," he said peevishly, still resenting the person he had to talk to.  He secretly hoped she would get someone worse.  Like Millecent Bulstrode.  

            "I know," she said grumpily, reaching for the loose floor board and pulling out the goblet from where they had stashed it.  She placed it down in front of her and glared at it.  Colin couldn't help but grin at her.  This was definitely the way the girl was supposed to act in the morning.  Then he grinned further as she took out her wand and after making the goblet ding, said: "Attempt two."

            They both sat there watching as the goblet flared to life and after a moment, spat out a piece of paper.  Apparently it wasn't as scared as it had been the day before.  Ginny's hand shot out with the swiftness that left no doubt in Colin's mind as to why she had tried being a Seeker.  

            Ginny looked tiredly down on the paper and suddenly felt wide awake.  As though three cups of coffee had suddenly Apparated themselves into her stomach.  'No', she thought, feeling her blood run cold.  'This can't be happening'.  She looked at the page again and suddenly felt tired again.  Guess the coffee left her system as quickly as it had arrived.

            "Who is it?" she heard Colin ask quietly.  She turned to see him frowning at her.  She held up the paper.  "Draco Malfoy?" he read aloud, then she saw his eyes widen as well.  Perhaps he shouldn't have thought she should get someone terrible than Millecent Bulstrode, because she had definitely received someone worse.  Way worse.

            Ginny dejectedly put the goblet back into its hiding place.  Then they both stood, seeming a little too disturbed to speak coherently.  It was then that Hermione walked by.

            "Have you been burning a pumpkin scented candle?" she asked them, sniffing the air.

**Attempt #2**

            After going to her classes like a zombie, Ginny finally set her jaw and decided that she had to find him.  It was part of the game.  If Colin could talk to someone he disliked, she could definitely talk to some one she despised.  And besides, if he tried anything she could always send some more boggies flying into his face.  The mere thought made her grin.  

            And so began her quest to find the arrogant, self involved, egotistical prick who thought he was so far above her because he had more money than her and the rest of her family.  She thought darkly of how much money the Malfoy's really did have.  And how many connections.  It had only taken one month before Narcissa had been able to buy her husband's freedom.  It made Ginny slightly sick to the stomach to think of their excessive wealth, but that was capitalism for you.  Or aristocracy.  Take your pick.

            But no matter where she looked in the school she couldn't find the allusive blonde.  Figuring he was probably cooped up in his Common Room she moodily headed outside figuring some air would do her good.  It wasn't like she would have known what to say to him anyways.  She probably would have just ended up sounding like some lame animal and ran away.  Or rather scurry since she sounded like a lame animal she might as well run like one as well.  Or scurry rather.

            Heading out towards the tree she usually sat under with Colin she found herself stopping short.  There was someone under it already.  Someone with blonde hair.  The same blonde someone she had been looking for all throughout the school.  And he was alone.  

            Ginny stood there, feeling that perhaps she could easily audition for the part of a daft animal in the next school play, if they ever had one.  But then she couldn't think of anything else to do but stand there.  The world wasn't supposed to work like this.  You weren't supposed to find what you were looking for in the place where you always are.  Not to mention the person you are looking for.  It was like she was stuck in some sort of cheesy romance novel.  One made of very stinky cheese.

            Taking in a deep breath and reminding herself that if Colin could do it she could do it too, she strode towards the tree with her head held as high as she could.  Coming up from behind the older Slytherin she sat down beside him, causing his blonde head to snap towards her.

            "Hi," she said simply, trying to smile as sweetly as she could.  Well, maybe if she looked cute he wouldn't try to strangle her.  He simply stared at her through his blue-gray eyes.  But he didn't say anything.

            "How are you?" she tried, feeling her smile begin to droop.  Apparently he wasn't going to start gabbing as Neville had conveniently done for Colin.  Damn Malfoy and his silence.

            Malfoy continued to stare at her, his expression getting ever darker.  It was as though he was trying to scare her off with his glare.  Ginny wouldn't stand for it though, as I have mentioned before.  She has a glare of her own and is pretty much immune to any other, save her mother's.  But she could feel her smile really begin to become strained.  It was as though she was grimacing in some unattractive way.  So she simply decided to grin instead.  Besides, she had found something else to say.

            "You know, I don't think that I have ever really spoken to you before."  Ginny stopped.  Well, she sort of had when she had hexed him two years ago.  It still sent her into giggles just remembering how large his eyes had gotten in surprise.  She never knew that eyes could get that wide, let alone that they would have belonged to a Malfoy.  But that's what he got for underestimating her.  All those who thought of her simply as Ron's Little Sister would be dealt with accordingly.

            By the even darker look, on Malfoy's face, Ginny was getting the impression that he was reminiscing about this little part in their history as well.  But apparently he didn't find it quite as a musing as she did.  "Well," she said slowly.  "At least not directly."

            "And hopefully you won't ever again," Draco sneered.  

            He couldn't quite understand why this stupid Weasley would be sitting next to him, let alone try and start a conversation with him.  It was just, well, wrong.  He had never really had any reason to be near her and he had kept clear of her when he could.  Not that he was scared of her, because Draco Malfoy is scared of nothing, or so he tells us, but rather because he simply had no interest in her.  She was boring to make a reason simple.  Even if she did have rather interesting hair, now that he actually got a chance to look at it or have rather vibrant eyes that seemed to have a touch too much gold in them to be pure brown.  Even her freckles, now that he thought about it, made her seem a little less boring.  It was at this point my friends, that Draco mentally smacked himself repeatedly in the head with a mallet.  A mental mallet of course.  Wouldn't want Ginny to think him insane, now would we?

            "Yes," the girl beside him cooed in a slight sneer.  "So let's make this occasion special, shall we?"  Apparently she was witty as well.  Quite a change from the usual Slytherin tarts he had to fend off.  Seriously, he knew he looked good; he didn't need to be told time and time again that the shirt he was wearing looked good on him.  That was why he bought it for Merlin's sake.  Not that his ego didn't mind...

            Ginny mentally winced as they lapsed into silence again.  And the stupid blonde was still staring at her.  It was getting a little annoying.  Well at least he had responded.  It's a step in the right direction, or so Ginny thought.  Now all she had to do was get him to say a bit more...

            "You know," Ginny began, grasping at something that might catch his interest.  "I heard a new name for you the other day."  Draco's face did not change in the slightest and he went right on staring.  "It was Mal-Ferret."  She paused.  Still no reaction.  "You know," she said slowly, as if explaining it to a daft child.  But then, by the look he was giving her it wouldn't have been that hard to mix the two up.  "Mal means "bad" in French.  So you're a bad ferret."  Still nothing.  "Well, I thought it was kind of cute..."

            "You're a dork Weasley," he finally said, frowning at her.  

            "I will have you know that I am not a whale's penis," she said with an indignant tone, her face scrunching up.  Draco was positive that that was not boring behavior.  Perhaps he really had under judged this stupid, dorky Weasley.

            "As you further prove my point," he drawled, though it was more to himself than to her.  She frowned at him now, causing her face to look even different than before.  

            "You're such a git, you know that right?" she snarled then, seeming to have finally gotten enough of the old Malfoy "charm".  Draco felt a pang of disappointment in his chest that he could not explain.  He told it to screw off and leave him alone.  

            "And here I thought I was simply a bad ferret," he drawled in response, smirking at her and finding that it was fun to make the Gryffindor get vexed.  

            "Well I think you should amend your thinking," she growled at him, getting to her feet and towering over him.  "You are a lot more terrible things than you obviously give yourself credit for."  With this she turned on her heel and walked briskly away from the tree.  Now if Draco timed it right, yes, he could see up her short skirt if he just angled his head a little to the right.  

            Ginny stopped a few paces away and whirled around.  Draco thought he had been caught but he relaxed after realizing that the girl simply had more to rant about: "I hope you get hit by a Bludger during the next Quiddtich game," she told him angrily.  She paused.  "I'll be sure to tip off Denis..."

            "Then I have nothing to worry about," Draco found himself drawling back, becoming quite impressed with himself at how easily he ticked her off.  "That kid couldn't aim a Bludger right if he walked up and placed it where he wanted it to go"  

            A long middle finger rose up from the depths of her sleeves and she was gone.  Draco found himself smirking after her.  No.  Perhaps she wasn't quite so boring after all.

~*~

            Ginny stormed into the Gryffindor Common room minutes later, only to realize that she wasn't going to be able to talk to Colin anymore.  She wouldn't be able to tell him off for making up such a stupid, idiotic and completely pointless game.  She had just wasted a good half day searching and being with that git.  And for what?  Nothing, that's what!  So Ginny found she just had to settle with sitting moodily next to Harry as was tradition and glare angrily at _him._

            "Hi Ginny," he said, frowning at her slightly, his books already away.

            "Why's Malfoy such a bastard?" she demanded, sinking further back into her chair.

            "Well, hello to you too," he muttered then frowned further.  "What did he do to you, Gin?"

            "Nothing," she replied huffily and Harry found himself begin to worry.  Malfoy had never given the girl problems before.  Not even after she hexed him and made quite the fool of him in front of his mates.  If he was starting something now...

            "Well then why all the huffiness about him?" he inquired gently.  Perhaps the blonde git had jumped her or something.  Maybe he had trapped her in a corridor and tried to get something.  Though as to what that something might have been made Harry feel suddenly enraged.  He would have to be sure to deck the pervert a few times during the next match.

            "No reason really," she hissed.  "It's just that people like that really annoy me."  She began to drum her fingers on the arm of the chair in a rather creepy way.  "Really, really annoy me..."

            Harry was beginning to get the feeling that the girl was plotting something again.  Though as to what it was this time and who it concerned he had the feeling that he never, ever, wanted to find out.

**One Month Later**

            Ginny had voiced her opinion to Colin about his stupid game as soon as she saw him next.  Unfortunately, and inexplicably, the boy convinced her that she just had one bad run in and that it would get funner as the time went on.  She had grudgingly accepted this but bitterly, and not to mention caustically, hoped that he would get someone truly nasty.  

            He got Goyle.

            Now, this trend for the both of them to end up getting terrible people continued, but eventually it faded as they began to get more and more people that they had no idea who the person was.  This became a bit of an inconvenience though as they had to begin to talk to other people in an attempt to find this one person who they were going to have to talk to.  People began to get suspicious though, and it's no wonder why.  The two anti-social nobodies in the school suddenly going up to random people and asking who others were.  Not to mention that afterwards you find out that these same individuals were forced to hold conversations with these inquirers.  People began to talk.  

            So whether or not Ginny still wanted the game to end didn't really matter anymore.  They had to stop it or else become extremely sneaky in the way they handled their inquiries.  But they had yet to figure out a way short of erasing people's memories after they had spoken to them.  But that generally defeated the point, now didn't it?  

            But some good cam of all this.  After a month of talking to people, both Ginny and Colin found it much easier to converse with people they were more familiar with.  In short they were losing their anti-social status and moving up to be ordinary people who could talk with other people.  Ooh, what an upgrade, eh?

            Yet I had mentioned before that the game was not just an ordinary game.  That it had had repercussions.  Severe ones.  Ginny was only just beginning to realize this though.  So was Colin.  

            Well, I'll start with Colin.  He now has frequent visitors to his studio.  Fan girls mostly who find his art quite "intriguing" as some put it or "pretty" as another had.  He found it odd, for his best friend had never wanted anything to do with this, but now people he barely knew did.  Not that he was complaining or anything.  But Ginny's snickering was getting on his nerves.  So much so that he would purposely take pictures of her and scream: "I'm stealing a bit of your soul!" every time he took a picture, just to make her angry.  He said this of course because his dad had told him that some cultures really believe this, that a picture takes a bit of their soul away.  It was an intriguing thought now that he really thought about it.  He could probably even make a magical camera that did just that.  If he ever had need for one that is.

            But you know, Colin had yet to figure out just how far this game had gone.  Just how far he had gotten sucked in.  And he began to realize just this when a particular someone showed up at his studio.  A big, blue eyed someone....

            "Hi," a dreamy voice said from the door, causing Colin to turn away from the developed film he was analyzing.  He was really beginning to think that he should invest in a lock for a door.  He began to think this was an even better idea when he saw Luna Lovegood standing in this aforementioned doorway.

            "Hi," he replied slowly in return.  She had been his fifth person to talk to.  And ever since then the girl wouldn't leave him alone.  She seemed to find the fact that he was a photographer quite fascinating.  Much to Colin's distress.  The girl's eyes really gave him the creeps.  

            Without further adue the girl walked into his studio and settled herself into one of the squishy chairs that was across the room from him.  Not that the room was all that large...

            "I just came here to say hi," she said, staring at the items scattered about his work table.  

            "Well, you already did," he replied, trying to make it seem that he was really busy, even though he really wasn't.  He wasn't quite sure why he didn't like Luna, but there was just something about her that turned him away.  It was sort of like Neville, and Ginny liked him too.  He was beginning to suspect that he just didn't like Ginny's friends...

            "And something else," she said dreamily, turning her large eyes to him.  Colin found that he couldn't look away.  All he could do was stare at them.  Stare at them and realize that perhaps they weren't too large after all.

            "And what's that?" he asked, forcing himself to look away from the large eyes.

            "That I like you."

            Colin's head snapped up so fast that I am still shocked that he didn't suffer from whiplash.  He stared at the blonde, but she was looking away, a red tinge gracing her cheeks.  Colin felt his eyes grow wide.

            "Uh, I have to go..." he said slowly.  Then standing up in such a hurry that he knocked his stool over, he dashed for the door.  He didn't even spare a glance for the girl still seated dreamily in his studio.

            It took a total of two minutes for him to make his way back to the Gryffindor Common Room.  A record I am sure.  He rushed through the portrait hole and, upon spotting the red headed female, he rushed towards her.  Seeing as there was no place else to sit, he plopped himself down on the arm of her chair.

            "Colin!" Ginny cried in surprise at his appearance.  Well, you would be surprised to if there was suddenly half an ass in your face.  He turned mournful eyes towards her and she gasped.  "What's wrong?  What happened?  Why are you back so early?"

            Colin glanced at Harry to see him nodding in agreement.  Colin opened his mouth and the whole story began to come out.

            Ginny had bit her cheek to keep from laughing.  It was just so Colin to be so worked up about this.  "Aww!  That's so cute Colin!" she cooed at him when he had finished.

            He turned frenzied eyes towards her.  "Cute?" he demanded, his voice getting higher than usual.  "Cute?!  It is not _cute!  It's disturbing!  That's what it is!  Down right disturbing!"  He looked even more fraggled when he saw the amused look in Ginny's eyes.  "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go to bed before something else terrible happens to me."  His voice squeaked.  With that the boy leapt off the armrest and made a mad dash for his dorm room._

            Harry and Ginny watched him in amusement.  

            "You sure do know how to pick odd friends, Gin," Harry sighed, turning back to her.  

            "Well, I've got you, don't I?" she asked, grinning at him.

            Harry smiled at her, but did not say anything.  They lapsed into another silence, and Ginny found herself musing about Colin.  Who would have thought that Luna would fancy Colin?  It was just odd now that she thought about it.  And to think, it never would have happened if they hadn't begun to play that game of his.  So really, it was his own fault.

            "So, has Malfoy been giving you anymore trouble?"  

            Ginny looked at Harry in surprise, more at what he had said rather than the fact that he had spoken.  She hadn't said anything to him since she had had her little rant about a month ago.  Why would he suddenly bring it up?  But it was funny, you see, because she had been having slight problems with Malfoy.  Well, I told you the game sucked you in, didn't I?  You didn't just think that it was only poor Colin who received issues from it?  Oh no, Ginny was pulled in right along with him.  Now you see, for the past month, Ginny could have sworn that Malfoy was acting strangely.  Well, perhaps not strangely, but she kept noticing him when usually she didn't.

            She would be in the hall, looking at something, then she would look up and there he was!  Or she would sit at the Gryffindor table, look around and he would be staring at her.  Or she would go to places that she knew he never frequented and he would be standing somewhere, looking as though he had every right to be there.  Well, that last one wouldn't have been too strange, except for the fact that he was standing by the loo she often frequented as though he were waiting for someone inside, but there was no one in there.  If Ginny didn't know better, she would say that the older boy was stalking her.  But why would he want to stalk her?

            But you know, it wasn't simply that she was seeing him everywhere but she couldn't seem to get him out of her mind either.  It seemed that he was always there, somewhere, smirking at her in her head.  And she kept wondering what he would look like without the smirk.  What did he look like when he smiled?  Did he look a lot nicer?  Hotter?  And then there was the little voice in the back of her head that kept hissing every time she saw him that he was a sexy beast.  Much to her horror I assure you.  Well, maybe not entirely, he _is Draco Malfoy after all..._

            "Ginny, are you alright?" Harry asked her after a moment.  She looked at him to see concern on his face.

            "I'm fine," she said slowly.  "I just feel rather tired all of a sudden.  I think I'll go to bed a bit early, if that's alright with you?"

            "Sure, no prob," he agreed, and had to use all his will power not to turn his head slightly when she kissed his cheek goodnight.  He wasn't quite sure how much longer he could wait.  He didn't know how much longer he could stand not being able to call her something more than a friend.  And he was beginning to get the feeling that if he didn't tell her soon, he wouldn't ever get the chance.

~*~

            Ginny found herself wandering down the halls after classes the next day, still brooding over the topic of which she had brooded the day before.  It wasn't so much that she was obsessing over the blonde as much as she simply couldn't get him out of her head.  And it wasn't like she really knew him at all.  She hadn't even talked to him before really, as she had told him herself.  Only to hex him.  But he had had a nice voice when she did talk to him.  It was like slow syrup, if that made any sense.  And besides, he was her brother's enemy and should be her own as well.  

            As she neared a corner, her thoughts began to shift.  She began to wonder just what would happen if she were to round the corner and run into him.  It would be ever so exciting.  And I mean really, wouldn't it be exciting if you ran into some hot guy?  I think it would.  But then she realized how horribly clichéd it would be if it actually did happened.

            'Stuff like that doesn't happen in real life,' she hissed at herself, trying to banish such a stupid thought.  Well, at least not all her mind was obsessed with Malfoy.  Yet.  

            As if to prove her point, Ginny walked closer to the wall, intending to make the corner tightly.  That way if anyone was there she would definitely crash into them.  She'd show the world and it's stupid never happening clichés.  Holding her head high, she went around and BANG!  Right into someone's chest.  

            With a startled cry, for more than one reason, Ginny crashed to the ground.  'Oh how perfect,' she thought bitterly.  'There's no way it's him.  It's probably just some profe-'  Yet as she looked up she felt her eyes grow wide.  There was a tall, lean and very blonde someone towering over her.  She opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out.

            "Watch where you're going Weasley," Draco drawled just as he had planned.  He had been trying to get the stupid girl's attention all month, and he wasn't about to screw up his plan now because she was looking at him with those startling eyes of hers.  

            And yes, I did say all month.  You see, it seems that Draco as well has fallen into the little game.  Or at least it's trap.  Ever since his last encounter, he couldn't seem to get enough of the sight of her.  And then all he could think about was what she would feel like or what her response would be to certain things.  Both verbal and physical of course.  

            And so his campaign had begun.  And let me tell you this: it was pitiful.  He tried all sorts of things to get her attention, but nothing worked.  He sat close to her in the library, hoping she would look up from her stupid romance novel.  But it always seemed the handsome, and excessively muscled in Draco's opinion, man was too intriguing for him to take the place of.  He had then tried to place himself in places that he knew she would see him.  Like across the hall when she left one of her classes.  That hadn't worked too well either, seeing as she was always talking to _someone lately and never noticed him.  Didn't she used to be a loner?  _

            So he had taken more desperate measures and begun to stand in places that she went to all the time.  Like that one stupid bathroom.  As to why anyone would only go to one particular bathroom was beyond him.  It wasn't like there was any difference.  They contained the same amount of un-sanitized filth.  But she had just stared at him as though he were daft and ignored him.  It was ridiculous!  He had even opted to just following her around at a distance.  He knew it was stalking, but he didn't really care!

            And now, now he had finally succeeded with one of his plans.  He had seen her coming down the hall and quickly stood at the corner, hoping against hopes that she would round it and run into it.  He figured it was something they might have done in those stupid books of hers.  Perhaps that would win him Brownie points.  Ogling her during Quidditch matches sure didn't.  Who cared about the stupid Snitch when she was there?

            Now Draco of course knew that he was losing it.  Malfoy's do not fall for Weasleys, let alone follow them around like lost puppy dogs.  But he couldn't quite help himself.  It was like an obsession.  A desire he just couldn't get enough of.  Yet he was just too oblivious to figure out exactly how to get his hands on her.  Well, he had a chance now.

            "Seriously, Weasel," he drawled, reaching down and pulling her by her hand to her feet.  He didn't let go.  "You should use at least a little more intelligence when you are walking around.  I know you don't have much, but you can't afford to go losing brain cells by hitting your head on things."  Ah, success!  And her hands were so soft.

            "Let go of me," she hissed, pulling her hand out of his grasp.  He repressed an utterance of disappointment.  Apparently this plan hadn't worked either.  Then she glared up at him.  "And stop following me."

            "As if _I would follow _you_," he sneered at her, keeping his shocked look under wraps.  So she _had_ seen him.  Yet apparently she wasn't impressed.  "Don't flatter yourself.  It's not like you're anything to follow, Weasley."_

            Her eyes suddenly blazed with anger and her jaw seemed to shift as though she was grinding her teeth.  Draco found it the most amusing thing he had ever seen.  She just looked so cute.  He did not just think that.

            "Just leave me alone," she hissed quietly then walked past him, making sure that their shoulders collided.  Draco felt a thrill at this contact and turned to watch her finely shaped behind do its subtle swish out of sight.  

            Now he knew he was losing it.  He was completely bonkers and it was all a Weasley's fault.  And not just any Weasley, but _Ginny_ Weasley.  He promptly turned to the wall and let it connect with his head.

~*~

            Ginny stormed back to the Common Room, not quite sure why she was suddenly so angry.  It wasn't like she hadn't wanted to crash into him.  Or that she wasn't unhappy with the whole idea of it.  But it had just gone all wrong.  Sure, he had helped her up but he had been such an ass!  A complete and utter one!  He wasn't supposed to be like that.  He was supposed to be nice.  But then she began to suspect that she had been holding false hopes in her head.

            'And really, what had I been thinking?' she demanded of herself.  'How could _Draco Malfoy_ be nice?  He never has been, why would he suddenly be?!'  She paused, trying to remember just when she had begun to think of the blonde as nice.  But she couldn't track it down.  It was as though the idea had just popped into her head one day and began to act as if it had been there the whole time.  This would have worried her a bit more if she had not made it to her usual seat by Harry.

            "Hey," he said cheerfully, grinning up at her.  Today was the day you see.  He was ready.  He was sure of himself.  He had practiced in front of the mirror for the past three hours.  He grinned a bit more as the object of his affection seated itself across from him.  It was time for him to ask Ginny out.  "How are you?"

            "Meh," she grumbled, frowning at him.  Harry felt his spirits drop slightly.  Perhaps today wasn't the day after all.  He silently cursed her and her moodiness.  But really, what right did she have to be moody when Harry Potter was about to ask her out?  

            "Is it a good "meh" or a bad "meh"?" he asked, despite her frown, which only seemed to deepen at the sound of his voice.

            "It's a meh meh," she offered, turning her gaze to stare moodily into the fire.  They fell into silence and it was driving Harry nuts.  He was just about to try and utter something when she beat him to it: "Harry, what do guys want in a girl?"

            Harry stared at her.  Why would she ask him _that?  Sure, he was used to the odd questions.  Or even the off the wall ones.  But to ask him about _guys_?  Wasn't that a little much?  A little too odd even for her?  A little too off the wall?  He opened his mouth to say he didn't know what to say when she beat him once again._

            "I don't even know why I'm asking you," she sighed warily, resting her head on her hand.  "It's not like you would know anyway, would you?"

            Harry felt his heart stop.  She couldn't have just said that.  What could she mean by that?  How could she have said that?  And so the questions repeated themselves in his poor, over stressed head until one thing fell inline with another and then another until it all made sense.

            "Ginny," he said slowly, trying to keep his voice even, despite the rage that was threatening to burst through.  And he had been having such a good month too.  He had only blown up twice.  Which was a good track record, if he did think so himself.  But it was all going to go down the drain if she meant what he thought she meant.  "What do you mean by that?"

            "Oh, you don't need to worry," she said in an off handed manner, still staring into the fire.  "I already know you're gay."

            "You WHAT?" he demanded, losing control of his voice.  Well, I guess that beats the run then, doesn't it?  Harry looked at the girl with disbelief.  She finally turned her attention to him, seeming a little alarmed, but still calm.

            "I've known for a while," she said.  "There's nothing to be ashamed about."

            "Nothing to be-" he muttered.  "I AM NOT GAY!" he bellowed at her, causing a few people in the room to look at him.  He ignored them.  "WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THAT IDEA?!"

            "Well," Ginny said slowly, looking more than a little alarmed now.  And wouldn't you be if your gay friend just turned out to be straight?  I mean bi would be ok, but completely straight?  And you have told him things you wouldn't have dared told anyone who was of the opposite straight sex.  Ginny was beginning to realize that she had really fucked up.  Really, really.  "You do have this odd walk, and the way you talk sometimes... And the way you move your hands..." she trialed off, watching as his face got more and more contorted, reminding her of her fifth year when he had gone psycho at almost everything.  "And you haven't had an interest in a girl since Cho Chang..." she whispered, leaning back in her chair as Harry shot out of his own and towered over her. 

            "I LIKED YOU GINNY!" he screamed at her, and Ginny felt her face go white.  Ok, she had really screwed up.  Not only had she thought him gay and told him things, but she had thought him gay and told him things while he was straight and liked her.  

            She stared up at him in horror, watching as the boy before her shook with anger, the likes of which she hadn't seen in a long time.  She pressed further back in her chair.  "No," she said.  "You can't- I mean- No," she stuttered, seeing his face contort even more.

            "YES!" he bellowed, his fists clenching now.  "AND I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO YOUR STUPID PROBLEMS ALL YEAR BUT IT HASN'T GOTTEN ME ANYWHERE BECAUSE APPARENTLY I AM _GAY_!"

            Ginny stared up at him then, sorting through the ranting while her ears rang.  Something had just been off.  And then it clicked.

            "Wait a minute," she said slowly, frowning at him and feeling less afraid.  Not that she was really afraid of him, but if someone you trusted blew up at you like that, I think you would be a tiny bit afraid.  "You have been pretending to care all year just so you could ask me out?"  She was beginning to feel angry now.  Well, a little more than angry.  It was that Weasley furry that everyone avoids when they can.  Unfortunately our Harry couldn't at the moment.  "You're disgusting!"

            Harry's face fell slightly as though he had said something he obviously wasn't planning to.  And he had.  He hadn't meant to ever tell her that.  But apparently he really was a failure when it came to women.  "But you thought I was gay!"

            "Who cares?!" she shrieked at him.  "You _used me!  You pretended to care so you could get me!"  She leapt to her feet and glared up at him with such a furry that I am sure she could have given some old man a heart attack.  Not that this would be a nice thing to do and I do not endorse this idea in anyway.  "You make me sick."_

            With this said she stormed past the second guy in an hour, not even bothering to look back at him when he called her name.  She disappeared through the portrait hole with intentions to get supper.  She would eat her sorrows away.

            "Shit," Harry moaned, plopping back into his chair, still ignoring his audience.  "How could she think I was gay?"

~*~

            Draco sat in his usual spot at the Slytherin table listening to the usual Slytherin talk.  It wasn't as cruel or conniving as it usually was.  Actually, by Slytherin standards it was quite dull.  Not that he really cared at the moment.  No, not at all for a certain red head had just made her way into the Great Hall and sat down at the end of the table looking as though the world had just ended and she was angry and sad about it.

            Draco couldn't help but wonder why she looked so upset, knowing full well that if the people beside him heard they would freak.  Well to put it mildly of course.  They would probably do more, but I don't feel like going into detail at this moment.  

            He stared at her, feeling ever more that he should do something to cheer her up.  But what could he do?  She didn't like him; he wasn't supposed to be remotely interested in her.  And yet he wanted to do something.  He glared down at his spaghetti as though it was the pasta's fault.  Which it could be, I mean, you have to be weary of noodles.  They're slippery little devils if left unattended.  Suddenly Draco got an idea.

            Grabbing a pot of spaghetti he leapt onto the table, causing many of the individuals seated at it to hoot with laughter or give out cries of surprise.  Others simply looked at him.  

            With out a second's thought, and seriously, if he had been thinking straight I think he would have committed suicide to spare his family the trouble of disowning him, he heaved the pot back and flung the contents on as many people as he could across the hall.  It seemed that the blonde was suffering from a bout of temporary insanity.  Which was most likely the case, now that I think about it...

            "FOOD FIGHT!" he screamed as loud as he could.  People screamed, others whooped with joy and a second later food was flying everywhere.  Leaping down from the table and getting hit by flying spaghetti, Draco made his way towards the Gryffindor table.  

            Now I am sure all of you at this moment are thinking that this fic has totally lost.  Well it most likely has.  Just as the students of Hogwarts have while throwing food everywhere and loving it.  It possibly could have been the biggest food fight of the Wiazarding world if not for a competition that often involves thousands of participants.  But that didn't matter.  All that mattered was that food was flying everywhere and Draco had found Ginny hiding under the table.  

            He still wasn't quite sure how he had gotten to this position, or why he had thrown the food.  Or why he had felt compelled to do anything other than stare at her as usual.  But it was as though something had wormed its way into his brain and had tainted his thoughts.  Because really, what kind of self-respecting Malfoy would start a food fight for a Weasley?  It just didn't make sense.  None of it did.  But he beat all these pesky questions down, telling himself he would deal with them later, after he got his hands on the red head cowering under the table.

            "Hiding Weasley?" he drawled, ducking a flying meatball.  

            "You're a git, Malfoy," she hissed at him.

            With a shrug, he reached under the table and grabbed her hand.  "Probably am," he replied, pulling her out with ease.  Though as to how he could have done it I am still not quite sure.  It was probably because Ginny was quite fed up at the moment.  With everything.  She probably should have just gone to bed, but that hadn't happened so here she was: In the middle of a giant food fight with a Malfoy.  And not just any Malfoy.  Nope, it was _Draco_ Malfoy, her friendly neighborhood stalker.  She glared at him.

            "Let's get out of here," he offered to her, pulling on her hand a bit more as she stood beside him.  

            For reasons unknown to her, she found herself ducking low along side him, dodging piles of food that had splattered to the floor.  She further did not understand why she was still following his lead after they had made it outside of the Great Hall, the sounds of the people inside fading to nothingness as the doors closed.  And she was blown away by the fact that there was a smile on her lips while she did it.  

            He continued to pull her just off the hall to the right of the door, it seemed as good a place as any.  Then Draco turned the surprisingly docile girl around, pressing her gently into the walls.  He stared at her, taking in her grin.  The way her face scrunched up slightly in the process, how her eyes seemed to twinkle.  He wondered how he ever could have thought her boring.  Or how he had come to realize just this.  It was all a little suspicious.

            "What have you done to me Weasley?" he asked her, narrowing his eyes.  She slowly returned the gesture.  "Why do I have to keep seeing you, just to get rid of this stupid feeling?"

            "You're asking me?" she scoffed.  "I was about to ask you why I keep seeing you in my head.  Why don't you just get out of my mind?"

            They stared at each other, and Ginny began to get the feeling that something wasn't right about all this.  Well she had known there was something un-right from the start, but now it was really starting to sink in.  And it wasn't quite as bad as she thought it should be.  Which just further proved the point that there was something wrong.  She mentally growled at her screwed up reasoning.

            Draco was thinking along the same lines as well.  Perhaps he really hadn't gone insane after all.  Maybe he was just hexed or something.  Yes, that was what it must have been.  They were both hexed to become obsessed with each other.  Now the only question was who had done the hexing.  Well there was another question too, now that he thought about it.  What were they to do in the meantime?

            "Are you thinking what I am thinking, Weasley?" he asked, not quite as disturbed as he should be at the thought that a Weasley might be thinking like him.

            "That depends if you think that this is all horribly wrong," she offered, looking up at him lazily.  It was a little odd that a Malfoy was thinking like her though.

            "Yah, that's about the same thing I was thinking," he drawled, finding that his hand was twirling her silky hair between his fingers.  He ignored them and let them do what they wanted.  Just for now at least.  

            "So what do we do then?" Ginny found herself asking, impishly feeling that she rather liked the feeling of his hands in her hair.  Now she knew that there was no doubt that there was something wrong.

            "Well," he said slowly, looking intently into her eyes.  "Why don't we just ride this little obsession of ours until we can figure out how to stop it."

            "Sounds like a good enough plan to me," she whispered, her eyes trialing down to his lips which seemed to be getting closer to her own...

            "WHAT?!" someone burst out to their left and both heads snapped in that direction to see a very haggard Harry Potter standing before them.  Ginny felt herself frown in concern.  "SO _I'M THE GAY ONE?!  HE'S AN EVEN BETTER CANDIDATE IF I EVER SAW ONE!  WHO WEARS CASHMERE ANYWAYS?!"_

            With this said the ever angry Harry moved swiftly forward and punched the blonde in front of Ginny in the gut.  He let out an "ooof" of air, and doubled over.  Ginny deafly caught him in her arms, staring worriedly after her gay friend that was really straight.

            "Harry-" she began, but he glared at her so angrily that her mouth slammed shut.  She looked weakly after him as he turned on his heel and made his way towards the Hall doors as though he was intent of hurting something behind them.  Yet just as he opened these great doors, Ginny heard a great "splat".  Harry had just been hit by flying spaghetti.  Apparently the food fight was still on.

            Harry stopped, staring blankly down at his now soiled shirt then looked through the doorway at the food fight unfolding within.  Ginny held her breath, waiting for the explosion to send him suicidal.  Yet it never came.  Instead she saw a smile spread over the black haired boy's face, and then he laughed.  Yes, laughed.  Ginny's eyes grew wide.  What a transformation.  Then the Boy Who Lived moved swiftly into the Great Hall without a second glance, looking as though he didn't have a care in the world.  For the moment at least.  She knew she would have hell to pay tomorrow.  Especially after her brother found out that she had thought that Harry had been gay.  But that was tomorrow.  

            She turned her eyes down to the blonde stalker resting quite comfortably against her stomach as he seemed to regain his breath.  She hadn't even realized that she had been gently stroking his back.  It was all just so odd.  And to think, if she had never accepted Colin's little game she wouldn't be here.  She most likely would be dueling with Harry, or going out with him, or who knew what?  But instead she was holding a good looking blonde in her arms and acting as if it was perfectly normal.  Even if it was an unnatural normal.  But she did like knowing un-normal people after all...

            Draco straightened himself up slowly, feeling oddly reluctant to move himself away from the Weasley's soothing hands.  Soothing.  He was definitely under some curse.  No question about it.  And it was further proven when he found himself entangled in her arms, kissing her as though he didn't have a care in the world.  

            You know, perhaps as games go, it wasn't that terrible after all.  I mean, Colin found someone.  Well, sort of.  And Ginny definitely did.  Well, in a twisted and unhealthy way, but that's beside the point.  And what about Harry?  At least she doesn't think he's gay anymore...?  Ok fine!  Be like that!  But look on the bright side!  Draco and Ginny are kissing each other senseless, and it seems as though they are slowly making their way towards that broom closet over there...

The End

~*~

A/N:  Well, that was a little... odd.  Uh, how about you just review and tell me just how odd you thought it was.  Then I can wallow in the full extent of my insanity and, well, oddness...


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